Edifice of Authority MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 226
2020-08-13 - Number 270
2022-12-02 - Number 764
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
Key Takeaways
- Generates card advantage by neutralizing threats without expending multiple spells.
- Demands careful resource planning due to its discard requirement and mana cost.
- Combines well within decks focusing on control, combo, and metagame relevance.
Text of card
, : Target creature can't attack this turn. Put a brick counter on Edifice of Authority. , : Until your next turn, target creature can't attack or block and its activated abilities can't be activated. Activate this ability only if there are three or more brick counters on Edifice of Authority.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Edifice of Authority doesn’t draw cards directly, it effectively generates card advantage by neutralizing your opponent’s creatures without the need for multiple spells. Each use is akin to drawing into a removal, as the targeted creature is rendered a non-threat for combat purposes.
Resource Acceleration: Edifice of Authority offers a unique kind of resource acceleration in the form of board control. By constantly keeping potential attackers and blockers at bay, it allows you to deploy your resources more effectively, focusing them where they are most needed.
Instant Speed: The ability to manipulate combat at instant speed is a tactical advantage. Edifice of Authority can activate its ability at the end of an opponent’s turn or in the middle of combat, surprising an adversary and skewing the combat math in your favor without requiring a preemptive tap-out.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Edifice of Authority requires a player to discard a specific type of card or pay a penalty to utilize its ability. This could deplete a player’s hand and diminish their overall strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: As an artifact with an activation cost, the Edifice of Authority necessitates the allocation of mana that could otherwise be used for casting spells. This demands careful mana management, especially in multicolor decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The efficiency of the Edifice of Authority may be scrutinized when weighed against other control options available. Given that it consumes three mana for initial casting and requires further investment to activate, players might find it somewhat burdensome in fast-paced matches.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Edifice of Authority offers a diverse set of utility options that can support multiple deck archetypes. It can serve as an efficient means of managing your opponent’s creatures, making it a versatile choice for control or tempo-based decks looking to maintain board presence.
Combo Potential: With its ability to restrict combat actions of target creatures, Edifice of Authority can work well within decks that aim to lock down opponents. This card can combo with other pieces that capitalize on tapping or untapping mechanics, further enhancing its strategic depth.
Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based strategies are everpresent in MTG, having Edifice of Authority in your collection ensures that you’re well-prepared to neutralize key threats. Its relevance grows in metagames dominated by aggressive decks, making it an asset in key matchups.
How to beat
Edifice of Authority can be quite the obstacle in Magic: The Gathering, where control is a crucial aspect of gameplay. This card’s ability to limit creatures from attacking or blocking offers a strategic advantage. However, it’s not an insurmountable barrier. Tactics to outmaneuver this card focus on versatile removal or enchantment disablers. Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant can effectively erase the troublesome artifact from the battlefield. Even direct artifact destruction spells like Shatter or Abrade prove efficient against Edifice of Authority, facilitating a clear path for your creatures.
Counterplay also comes in the form of hexproof or shroud-empowered creatures that are impervious to targeted activations. This allows players to bypass Edifice of Authority’s limitations, maintaining the offensive or defensive capabilities of their creature-base unaffected. Additionally, employing an aggressive strategy with a fast-paced creature deck can outpace the authority this artifact brings to the field, possibly rendering it too slow to be relevant. The key lies in prioritizing the removal or limitation of Edifice of Authority’s impact as you build up your board presence.
Ultimately, dealing with Edifice of Authority requires a strategic combination of creature protection, prompt removal, or simply outpacing the control it aims to establish. Understanding your deck’s strengths and adapting to control elements are essential aspects of navigating around such obstacles in the game.
Cards like Edifice of Authority
Edifice of Authority is a unique control artifact that has its place among Magic the Gathering’s assorted card pool. It can be compared to cards like Pacification Array, which also offers the ability to tap a target creature. Still, Edifice of Authority goes further, providing a progressive lock-down mechanism with its three-tier ability, ultimately preventing creatures from attacking or blocking altogether. Meanwhile, Pacification Array lacks this escalating control effect.
Looking at Icy Manipulator, another parallel emerges. It shares the tapping potential without discrimination towards creature, artifact, or land. But unlike Edifice of Authority that evolves and strengthens over time, Icy Manipulator maintains a consistent but non-progressive role on the battlefield. Moreover, Blinkmoth Nexus stands in contrast with its flexibility, offering both a land and creature tapping alternative, though its focus is less on control and more on versatility and adaptability to the changing dynamics of the game.
Considering everything, Edifice of Authority holds its own in MTG’s vast array of control cards. Its strength lies in the escalating ability to silence key opponents’ creatures, serving as a strategic asset that can be crucial for shifting the tide of the game in your favor.
Cards similar to Edifice of Authority by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Edifice of Authority MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet Remastered, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Edifice of Authority and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See Magic products
Printings
The Edifice of Authority Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Florian de Gesincourt.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 226 | 2015 | normal | black | Florian de Gesincourt | |
| 2 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 270 | 2015 | normal | black | Florian de Gesincourt | |
| 3 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 764 | 2015 | normal | black | Florian de Gesincourt |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Edifice of Authority has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Edifice of Authority card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-04-18 | Activated abilities contain a colon. They’re generally written “ -ost: -ffect].” Some keyword abilities are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. Triggered abilities (starting with “when,” “whenever,” or “at”) are unaffected by the last ability of Edifice of Authority. Notably, exerting a creature isn’t an activated ability. |
| 2017-04-18 | Edifice of Authority can’t be used to undo an attack or block once it has been declared. Its abilities must be activated no later than the beginning of combat step to stop a creature from attacking, and no later than the declare attackers step to stop a creature from blocking. |
| 2017-04-18 | Once a player has announced that they are activating the ability of a creature, Edifice of Authority can’t be used to undo it. Its last ability must be activated before the player activates that creature’s ability. The player may respond to Edifice of Authority’s ability with the target creature’s ability if able. |
